[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77780-77781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32091]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA867


Endangered Species; File No. 10022

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Raymond Carthy, University of 
Florida, Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 117 
Newins-Ziegler Hall, P.O. Box 110450, Gainesville, FL 32611,

[[Page 77781]]

has been issued a modification to scientific research Permit No. 10022-
01.

ADDRESSES: The modification and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 
phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Cairns or Amy Hapeman, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2010, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (75 FR 78974) that a modification of Permit No. 
10022-01, issued May 12, 2010 (75 FR 26715), had been requested by the 
above-named individual. The requested modification has been granted 
under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
222-226).
    Permit 10022-01 authorizes the permit holder to conduct research 
off the northwest coast of Florida. Researchers may capture loggerhead 
(Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), and Kemp's ridley 
(Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles by strike-net or set-net. Animals may 
be weighed, measured, photographed, skin biopsied, flipper and passive 
integrated transponder (PIT) tagged, and released. Researchers also are 
authorized to perform a subset of activities on sea turtles legally 
captured by relocation trawlers. A subset of sea turtles may have 
transmitters attached to assess habitat use and study whether 
relocation distances for sea turtles captured by relocation trawlers 
are appropriate.
    The modification authorizes: (1) An increase in the number of sea 
turtles that may be taken annually; (2) satellite tagging for captured 
loggerhead and Kemp's ridleys; and (3) epibiota removal, blood 
sampling, and carapace swabbing for a subset of captured animals. A 
subset of the green sea turtles may also be captured by hand/dip net, 
flipper and PIT tagged, measured, weighed, photographed, and 
temporarily carapace marked. This work will assess changes in sea 
turtle abundance, physical characteristics, and habitat use in the area 
relative to historical data. The modification is valid until the permit 
expires on April 30, 2013.
    Issuance of this modification, as required by the ESA was based on 
a finding that such permit (1) Was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: December 9, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32091 Filed 12-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P